Three Delivery Keeping It Real
by crystalquirt
Summary: The Teens run into gang members. No pairings/shippings or sexual content warnings. Lots of angst and terror, injuries all around. Revised for errors, slight changes Feb 2010
1. Chapter 1 Keeping It Real

Three Delivery: Keeping it real - 1

AKA Dealing with Kong Li and some magic would have been more fun.

By CrystalQuirt

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]

Eunice could not believe her daddy wanted her to ride in that hideous gray limo instead of her pink one. Her screaming could be heard for a block as she stood outside the theater after the play. She was refusing to get in the gray limo with her driver to return home.

"Daddy needs to fire that mechanic! I can't believe my pink limo is broken! You know, even poopsie doesn't want to be seen in that plain old gray limo."

"Eunice. If you want a ride, you have to get in this one. I suppose you can always walk."

"How dare you! My father would kill you if you made me walk home. Okay – I'll show you!" So, in a fit of temper, Eunice elected to walk home.

Driver tried to catch her and tempt her with some of the finest chocolate he would get for her on the way home, but she ran with her little dog in her arms down an alley. Driver refused to even try to catch her. He knew she would be scared and come running back out. He thought he would just drive around the block a few times.

She stomped angrily after she stopped running. She had stepped in a puddle with her pink genuine alligator shoes. This was all her daddy's fault. How dare daddy send the wrong color limo? She ranted. "I will not be seen getting into anything but my pink one!"

She finally had calmed down enough to look where she was going and realized something important. She had no idea where she was. There was a loading dock behind a thrift store on one side of the ally and a fire escape on the other. Dumpsters were placed along both sides of the alley, near most of the doors and loading bays.

She had run down the alley, but after her little stomping fit, she was lost.

"Where am I?" she wondered. "Driver?" She cried. The little dog squirmed and whined in her arms wanting down. She gently placed him on the ground and patted his head, "Now don't get your paws dirty."

She turned to face where she came from, and was surprised to find three large guys standing in front of her. They moved to surround her.

The little dog was so oblivious; it had not barked at the strangers, but had its full attention on smelling something dead in the corner behind a nearby dumpster. The silly little dog didn't know there were scary strangers nearby threatening its master; or perhaps - it didn't care.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]

Sid dropped off the delivery on Drumm Street and was on his way back to Wu's Garden. Mr. Von Yang had become a regular customer and always tipped very well. Sue, who didn't want to go at all before, would now wrestle with Sid or Tobey to see who would get to go. He had wrestled with her and won tonight.

Pedaling hard and fast, he rounded the corner heading for the shortcut back to Wu's Garden and saw little Eunice in the alley ahead. Her clothes were so brightly colored with the ribbons in her hair and all that pink, he couldn't mistake her even from a distance. But who was she with? He wondered.

Sid slowed down and stopped a ways away. They hadn't seen him yet. Eunice squealed and screamed, "Get out of my way at once! My daddy won't like it that you are bothering me!"

"Awe. Why do you think we're bothering you little rich girl?"

Sid took off his helmet and yelled, "Hey! Leave her alone!" He leaped off his bike, springing off the seat and landing in front of it in his tiger defensive position. His bike fell over behind him.

"Eunice! Come over to me," he instructed.

The three turned to face him. One of the three strangers wore a red skullcap with blue hair hanging out from under it. He grabbed Eunice's red hair, ribbons and all to prevent her from going to Sid.

She squealed and squirmed. "Help me! Now! Um . . . Delivery boy!" she never could remember his name.

The one standing closest to him also happened to be the biggest one of the three. Sid charged him and planted a well-aimed kick in his opponent's chest. The Big Boy fell over gasping for air.

Sid jumped up and from a spin, he landed another well-aimed kick alongside the next guy's head. This one had spike earrings, and a nose ring. This guy fell to the ground whimpering and holding his ear where his long spike earring had been bent by Sid's kick.

Sid landed in his defensive position and grinned at the last guy, who was still holding onto Eunice's hair. This was the guy with blue hair and the cap. Big Boy was running away down the alley. Sid could hear him wheezing as he ran. Earring Boy was lying on the ground behind Blue Hair, whimpering about his ear.

"You're friends look like they've given up. Let her go, now!" Sid took a step closer and settled into position, ready for him to attack.

From behind the garbage cans, out came a ferocious ball of fluff with pink ribbons tied to his ears. Eunice squealed, "Poopsie! Get him!"

The little dog latched onto the nearest leg, biting though pants leg and sock, he growled loudly and shook his head back and forth drawing blood . . . Sid's blood! He yelled in surprise, and tried to shake the dog off.

"Get this RAT off me!" he stepped back and lost his footing in an oily puddle. He toppled ungracefully backwards and landed on his butt. The little dog only chewed harder and growled even louder having brought down his prey. As nasty as it was, Sid didn't want to kick the little dog and hurt it.

Blue hair let go of Eunice. He was laughing so hard he needed his hands to hold his sides. Eunice, once out of Blue Hair's grip, ran over and picked up her dog.

An elderly couple came out of a nearby door, arguing about where they were going. They paused for a moment and watched the fracas. The old man giggled at the boy on the ground being taken down by the little dog.

Even with Eunice trying to pick him up, the little dog didn't let go right away. Sid winced and glared at Eunice. Then he looked past her and saw Blue Hair and Earring boy laughing and slapping at each other as they sauntered away to find their friend.

He heard one of them growling and barking, in a bad imitation of the dog and the other one screamed in a girly voice. "Eeek get him off me!"

Blue hair stopped laughing long enough to say "what a joke" and tossed a pink ribbon on the ground before going around the corner. With the old couple there were too many witnesses now to continue tormenting the little girl anyway.

Sid looked at Eunice. "Well, I guess you're OK." Sid got up and brushed his pants off, not really looking forward to seeing his chewed on leg. He never enjoyed seeing his own blood.

She held the little dog close and pointed her finger at Sid. "How dare you call my baby a Rat?"

"Hey! He was chewing on me! You are lucky that is all I called him." Sid replied angrily.

Eunice stomped her feet and screamed at Sid, "You are a pretty big klutz aren't you? Even Poopsie does not like you."

"Alright you, I just saved you from who knows what! I fought off two of them and would have taken out the third if your little rat had not attacked me. Maybe I should have picked him up and put him in that garbage can." He pointed at the nearest dumpster.

"How dare you even say that? It's not his fault - you scared him! And if you had not interfered, Poopsie would have scared those guys away! You really are a joke, just like that guy said. Delivery boys can't fight at all – unless your opponent is a dumpling or rice ball. You are the one who needs to be thrown in the garbage!"

Her face brightened as she remembered she and his friends were orphans, and pretended to fluff her hair with one hand. "Oh yeah, now I see why you were orphaned, your parents DID throw you away. They threw you away, just like the rest of the garbage."

She smiled at how smart she thought she was. She really told him off. "Poopsie will probably get sick after biting you, you filthy thing." She kicked an empty can that was near her foot at him and he put his arm up and blocked it from hitting him in the face.

When looking for insults, Eunice seemed to remember all kinds of details – all the sensitive ones she could use to hurt people the most. His name had slipped her mind though. The spoiled, uncaring, insensitive brat took out all her fear and frustration on Sid, the one who really had saved her, even if it didn't go quite as he thought it would.

They gray limo pulled into the alley after the driver heard all the high-pitched squealing and insults that she was firing at Sid from down the block. She didn't show how happy she really was about the limo pulling into the alley.

Eunice, with her dog in her arms, stomped off and got in the limo. It slowly pulled backwards back down the alley to the street. Driver had her gourmet chocolate waiting for her as her reward for getting in.

Sid walked slowly over to his bike and stood it up. He straddled it and strapped his helmet back on, but he didn't ride off right away. The things she had said were still playing in his head. "Is that how others see me? As a worthless, orphaned piece of garbage?" Sid's thinking was not logical right then. He had forgotten Nana's most important message about seeing all things and situations with clarity. Her words had burned his ears and taken root in his head.

Of course, Sue had been orphaned too and he knew Sue was not worthless. He thought his sister was wonderful and so did many other people. Tobey is great too, with a big heart he uses to care for others. They know they can count on him when it is important.

Nothing about Sid or what had just happened caused Eunice to come unwrapped at him like that. She had her own issues she had to work through. If he had been thinking clearly, he would have shown more compassion and caring for her, rather than getting angry at her, and beating himself up over what she said while under stress. He suddenly felt so sad over something that was not true; something that didn't even exist, except in his own mind that he rode home very slowly. Her words a trigger for negative feelings he had felt before.

When he got back to Wu's Garden, Sid left his bike out back in the garden and stomped inside through the back door. He was hoping he wouldn't have to talk to anyone right now. He grabbed a towel and went straight to the shower. As he scrubbed off layers of street crud, and grease from rolling around in the alley with that little rat of a dog, his mind was still spinning her words. He bent down and looked at his ankle, he had several small puncture wounds, but there was very little blood. The skin around the area was turning bright colors as it bruised and it was sore to the touch. He winced a little as the washcloth went over the area.

"I fight and train so hard, to protect the ones I love and all of Chinatown, but for all anyone knows, I am just a delivery boy. Maybe I am, since it seems I can't even stop an attack from a little rat of a dog. I got captured by Kong Li, I got attacked and turned into a zombie. On my birthday, Kong Li poisoned Nana and Mr. Wu. My tantrum about wanting to be normal sent us all into another dimension that almost ruined everything. I don't know why Nana puts up with me. I . . . I . . . I . . ."

Sid put his head back and washed the tears out of his eyes under the shower head. "Maybe I am just slowing the others down, and putting them in danger when they have to rescue me."

Why was he taking Eunice's words so seriously? She was just a spoiled brat who couldn't pay attention to anything except herself and her own desires for more than a few seconds. She couldn't help it, being young and having been raised that way. Guess she hit a nerve with him. Had he always doubted himself and his own skills a little?

Sid went back to the kitchen to see if there were any more deliveries, and see where Sue and Tobey were.

"Hey Barney, is anything going out for delivery?"

"Not yet. It's been pretty quiet here."

Sid fell onto the seat in the booth across from Tobey and Sue. "I wish it had been quiet everywhere tonight." He didn't mean to say it out loud.

"Hey Sid, did something happen?" Sue asked.

"No, nothing really." Sid denied. Tobey could even tell that Sid was feeling gloomy.

"But Sid…" Sue began.

"But nothing, I want to go to my room. Can you guys take my deliveries if any more are phoned in?" he was already walking away.

"Sid, are you okay?" Sue called after him.

"I am fine, at least with you doing my deliveries, they won't get screwed up."

Tobey and Sue looked at each other and shrugged. Tobey guessed, "Maybe a customer yelled at him. I wish he would tell us what's bothering him."

Sue said, "He will when he is ready."

He took of his shirt, shoes and socks, then his belt and pants and just fell backwards on his bed in his shorts and undershirt. It was hot in his room over the kitchen, so he had opened the window. He found listening to the crickets outside relaxing. He let go the thoughts in his head and tried to focus just on the crickets.

He stayed still for a while and listened to the evening noises, but Mr. Wu's booming impatient voice kept interrupting the cricket symphony. Mr. Wu's constant impatience and insults didn't usually bother him, but tonight it really did. He felt such aversion to hearing any more of it; he rolled on his side and turned on the radio by the bed.

Sue and Tobey were downstairs again after a delivery. There was only one, but they both took it and split the tip. They were back in a booth, wondering what had happened to Sid.

"I have not seen him that gloomy in a long time." Tobey observed.

"Ya, but you know he gets angry sometimes, like we all do." Sue smiled at Tobey.

"What do y . . ." a loud engine noise out front interrupted their conversation.

They looked as they heard a car pulling up out front. "Wow" Tobey exclaimed. It wasn't just a car; it was a limo, a gray limo. "Oh, no – not her." Tobey whined.

Driver got out and came to the passenger side. He opened the door, and an explosion of pink slid out. Eunice, with her dog under her arm, started for the front door.

"Eunice has never been here before." Sue stated.

"I wonder why we are so lucky tonight. – She must be out "keeping it reeeal." Tobey replied in his best squeaky voice.

Driver ran ahead of Eunice and opened the restaurant door for her. Barney, from behind the counter greeted her and asked if he could take her order.

"Don't be so silly. I wouldn't eat here." She turned up her nose and walked to the others sitting in the booth. In the background you could hear Barney telling her that dogs do not belong in the restaurant.

"Where is the other one?" Eunice demanded more than asked.

"You must mean Sid? Why do you want to see him?" Sue couldn't help but ask, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"He helped me out a little this evening and I wanted to give him this to thank him." She handed Sue a little box.

"I am sure he will appreciate it? But what did he do?"

"Nothing much, but my little Poopsie 'might' have bit him a little."

"You let your little mutt bite Sid? No wonder he was in such a bad mood when he got home."

"He is not a mutt! And anyway, Daddy said if the boy reports it, my baby could get in trouble for biting him. You don't think he will tell do you?"

"I doubt if it was that serious. He didn't even say anything to us." Sue said thoughtfully.

"Well, see that he gets that and you tell him it was from me. I have to fly, I am missing Daddy's big party tonight and I haven't even picked out something to wear yet. With all the beautiful stuff I have to choose from, it could take hours."

"Yeah Yeah, you've told us that before." Sue rolled her eyes.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]

Back in the boys room, the radio crackled and the song stopped in the middle. Sid rolled up on one elbow to listen.

~~~~ We interrupt this program ~~~~ There has been a robbery at the Wang's grocery store on the corner of Beckett and Pelton. ~~~~ The suspects are armed. Descriptions follow. Reported as a large kid wearing black, a kid with spiked hair and piercings all over his face and another thin boy with blue hair and a red cap. They are still at large. ~~~~ If you see them call 911 immediately. Nearby residents are advised to stay home with their doors locked until the robbers are caught. ~~~~

Sid got up and pulled on his pants, "Now is my chance to show everyone!" He ran down the steps and out the back door wearing only his white undershirt and black pants.

"I will prove I can fight them. I will take them down and make sure they don't hurt anyone else."

Just seconds too late to stop him, Sue and Tobey climbed up the stairs on their way to give Sid the gift that Eunice had brought for him. "Boy, she must be really worried about her little mutt getting in trouble." Tobey giggled on the way to Sid's room.

Sid had left the door open so they could see right away that he was not in his bunk. "But where did he go, he usually just sulks in his room when comes up here angry."

"Maybe he went to the skate park after all?" Sue tossed the little box on Sid's bed.

"It's getting late, but maybe we should go after him." Sue stated.

"Let's ride!"

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]

Sid headed straight back to the area where he tangled with them the first time. Once in the narrow space of the alley, he saw the blue haired guy running!

"What luck – guess they're pretty predictable!" Sid stomped on the pedal so hard the bike tire spun as he took off after him. Since Blue Hair didn't know anyone was after him, he was not running much faster than a jog and Sid being on his bike, caught up to him quickly.

Blue Hair heard him coming and glanced over his shoulder. He took off running very fast again. Sid chased him out of one alley and across the street to another alleyway. Car horns honked as passing vehicles swerved or driver's slammed on their brakes to keep from hitting them. Blue Hair turned a corner and ran right past the same elderly couple that had seen Eunice's dog attack Sid.

Sid was right behind him when he went around the next corner. Sid looked up and saw that Blue Hair was running towards the other two in his gang. Big Boy and Earring Boy were standing together a ways ahead, leaning on a car parked so that it was blocking the alley to the south.

Blue Hair ran right towards them shouting, "Take care of this! Guys! Get him!"

Sid knew he was close enough, and he wanted to take this one out before he got to the others. He jumped off his bike and landed in a run, easily matching Blue Hair's speed. His bike rolled on, to crash into a dumpster.

Sid got close and grabbed Blue Hair by the hood hanging down his back. He pulled him down and the two rolled into a puddle with Sid winding up on top.

Blue Hair had the moneybag that was stolen from the store. He had taken a different route than the others did to the meeting place to avoid anyone chasing them. None of them thought they would run into Sid again.

The moneybag broke open as Blue Hair fell on it. Money scattered across the alley. Sid reared up and prepared to deliver the deciding blow, but froze. A loud noise sounded and at the same time, he felt something hit him hard in the back.

Sid held his breath for a moment before exhaling and falling forward. He landed face down on Blue Hair, who made a sound of disgust and pushed him off right away.

Sid rolled over onto his back and stayed down, sprawled on the asphalt. He didn't know what had happened right away. He only knew he was in agonizing, intense pain and he couldn't move. His back burned like it was on fire near the center, just under the right shoulder blade.

He remembered a loud noise, "A gunshot? Is that what that was? Oh no-I gotta get away from them." He tried to roll over to get up. "Ow! ARggghh." His right arm wouldn't work and now it was burning as intensely as his back and legs. He gave up and stayed still, as the nasty water in the puddle he had fallen in, soaked into his clothes, hair and even into the wound.

Big Boy strolled to Sid's side and bent over to look him right in the face. Sid looked back up at him and exclaimed, breathlessly, "You shot me!"

"No shit Sherlock." Big Boy poked him in the ribs with the toe of his boot and laughed at him as Sid cringed. "Aw, did that hurt?" Sid looked past him to the side looking for the others.

Earring Boy was wiping off his gun. He kissed its barrel and put it back in his pants just in time to see his friend kick Sid and laugh. "Loser." Was all he said.

Blue Hair was quickly gathering the money and putting it back in the bag.

Sid tried to roll away from Big Boy but couldn't do it. He badly wanted to get up and pound on him a little, but couldn't get his body to cooperate.

"Hey-come on... Please, I need help." he pleaded instead. His chest was feeling too heavy to even try to get up now. It was hard to just stay still and breathe.

Big Boy bent over and looked Sid in the face. "There's no help for you, you are going to lay here in this filthy alley and bleed to death."

Sid reached to his belt, his fingers searching for his phone. Big Boy saw what he was doing, and got to his phone first. He smacked Sid's hand away and took it off his belt. The phone bounced off the dumpster and the battery popped off. The battery slid under the dumpster. Sid stared at his phone. It seemed like it was miles away.

Big Boy grabbed him by one ankle and dragged him toward the dumpster. For one terrifying moment, Sid thought he was going to throw him in it, just like garbage.

"No! Please . . ." In his mind, he heard Eunice calling him garbage again, even though she was not there.

"No? What, if I leave you out in the middle someone might run over you – hahaha. I'm doing this for you." He laughed at his own mock concern. "Really, we don't want to make it too easy for someone to find you now do we?" He dropped his foot hard on the asphalt. Then he pushed on his shoulder and hip and rolled him close to the wall where no one could see him from down the alley.

Sid wound up on his stomach, groaning through his teeth from the pain. The back of his white undershirt was soaked with blood mixed with greasy puddle water. He felt so cold, but couldn't feel if he was shivering.

With all the money gathered up. The three started to walk to their car. One of them stopped by Sid's bike. He picked it up and threw it in the dumpster a little ways down the alley. "He won't need this anymore."

They all three laughed and poked at each other as they left. It was like they were heading home from a party. Sid heard the slamming of car doors and the engine start. In another minute, they drove out of sight around the corner.

The pain and cold Sid felt threatened to make him pass out. He put the hand he could still move a little under his cheek to get his face off the rough asphalt.

After resting a moment, he started pulling himself towards his phone with that one arm. He reached towards the phone, but found he was nowhere near it yet. Resting his forehead on the ground, he said softly. "I failed . . ."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]  
Tobey continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2 Keeping It 2 Real

Three Delivery: Keeping It 2 Real

By CrystalQuirt

Sue and Tobey reached the skate park, but there was no sign of Sid.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

"Let's try his phone again." Sue took out her phone and dialed Sid. She waited for a moment, but reported, "There's no answer. It won't even ring - it just goes straight to voicemail, like his phone is turned off. No GPS signal either - and he usually keeps his GPS turned on, especially when he is out alone."

"Something is so wrong, Sid missed diner you know – he only does that when he is really upset, or in love!" Tobey said.

"Come on Tobey this is serious. What if he ran into Kong Li alone? What are we gonna do?" Sue started pedaling. Tobey took off and caught up to her to find she was still talking.

"Let's retrace his steps. I'll call Barney and find out where he sent him on his last delivery.

"The delivery he came back all upset from? But we've seen him since then." Tobey thought out loud.

"We have to start somewhere." Sue called Barney and got the address where Sid last delivered. They set out for it in a hurry. It was only a couple of blocks away from where they were.

"Isn't this near the theater?" Sue asked.

"Sue, you should know that I probably wouldn't know. The theater interests me about as much as the museum."

"Just hurry up, Tobey."

As they passed by the delivery address, Tobey said, "Okay Sue, I have been here with Sid before. I remember - from here, Sid would have taken Becket to the alley behind the laundry. They circled back and pedaled faster to get to Becket Street. They saw no sign of anything strange on Becket. Soon they found themselves in the alley.

"Just because he came home this way, doesn't mean he came back here after we saw him at home." Tobey said.

"That's true, but I don't know what else to do. Perhaps if we can find a clue to what happened to him today, we will find where he went."

"You mean what happened to him besides getting bit by 'Poopsie Whopsie' or whatever she calls that rat of a dog?"

"Yeah, besides that he didn't even mention that. Maybe we'll even find someone that saw something."

"Well alright, let's keep going… but only because I can't think of anything else to do."

"Maybe we should call Nana?" Sue suggested.

"But what do we tell her, Sid is out someplace having a tantrum and we can't find him?"

"Your right, let's just keep looking."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Crawling to the phone seemed like it was taking forever, but Sid kept trying. He finally got within reach of his phone, but the battery was still under the dumpster. And the GPS on his bike was in the dumpster - with his bike.

"I've got to get the phone to work." Sid slowly pulled himself another foot or two and with his head under the dumpster, could just get his fingertips on the battery. He forced himself to stretch just a little farther. The pain in his back, shoulder and ribs brought tears to his eyes, but he got it! The battery was in his hand. He pushed himself over just enough to get his head out from under the dumpster and groaning loudly from the pain it caused, rolled onto his back. With the phone on his chest and only using one, shaky hand, getting the battery on the phone took what seemed like another forever.

He pressed the power button and put his head back on the pavement to wait for his phone to come on – if it wasn't broken.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Once Sue and Tobey entered the alley, they slowed down and watched both sides for any sign of Sid, or even a clue that something might have happened there. They came to a split in the alley; "Well Sue, we can turn here, or continue on straight."

"You said you've taken this shortcut before with Sid, which way do you think he would have gone?"

"Well going straight is not as short, but he likes to go that way; well I do too. There is the coolest jump at the loading dock behind the grocery store. You should see the air I can get when I take it!"

Sue just couldn't think about Tobey's air right now. "I'm just wondering, how would Sid have run into Eunice back here in the alley – she wouldn't be caught dead back here, or even walking someplace."

Maybe we should . . ." Tobey was interrupted by Sue's phone going off.

"ITS SID!!!" Sid's face was flashing on his screen. "Hey Sid! Where are you?"

"H . . . H-He . . ." whispered Sid.

"Sid?" Sue could barely hear him. "What's happening?"

"P-Pelton, w... alley…" Sue could hear clattering as Sid dropped his phone. "Sid? Sid? SID!"

"Did you hear that Tobey? He IS in trouble!"

"Sue, he didn't sound so good."

"I know, Tobey."

They were pedaling as fast as they could straight down the alley to get to Pelton Ave.

Sue panted, "Come on . . . there is an alley . . . west of Pelton! He must there someplace."

As they rode, Tobey called Nana. She was on her way to meet them. Tobey and Sue both turned on their GPS so Nana could find them.

"Here Sue, turn here." in her rush, Sue missed the turn. She circled and followed Tobey into the alley that paralleled Pelton.

"Sid?"

"SID!" they both called for him as they moved up the alley.

"THERE!" Tobey saw Sid's arm with his yellow phone by his hand. The rest of his body was hidden behind the dumpster. They both vaulted off of their bikes and ran to him.

"Sid?" Sue shook his shoulder gently. Sid's once white shirt was dirty from rolling around on the ground. And some of that dirt looked like blood. "No!" tears welled up in her eyes. "Sid, please don't die!" She shook him harder.

Tobey put his hand on Sue's shoulder as he gazed at Sid. He suddenly took his hand back and pulled out his phone. Rather than wait for Nana, he dialed 911 to get an ambulance.

Sue was a little scared to roll him over. She didn't want to see her brother with a fatal wound of some kind, but still if she could do anything for him, she pushed on his shoulder and hip and Tobey helped. They rolled him up on his side. She couldn't tell in the dark where the blood was coming from exaclty. His whole back was covered in blood and she had nothing to wipe it off with.

Sid groaned softly. Being up on his side was putting a painful strain on his back. Sue heard him groan and leaned over him to look in his face. Tobey hopped over him and kneeled in front of Sid.

"The 911 operator wants to know how he was hurt."

"I don't know Tobey. Sid! Can you hear me?"

"Sue, you found me! It hurts . . ." he was too weak to turn his head or even open his eyes.

"Sid how did you get hurt – can you tell me exactly where it hurts?"

"He shot me, he shot me..." Sid repeated.

"Shot! No- Sid? Someone shot you?" Sue repeated.

"With a Gun, like a real bullet? - Oh no. Sid!" Tobey was beside himself, but remembered the 911 operator was waiting, "My friend said he's been shot! - Hurry!"

"Easy Tobey," Sid said softly. "It only hurts a little...No, it h-hurts a lot, but I can take it." Sid managed a weak smile.

Sue and Tobey were comforted a little Sue gently placed Sid on his stomach. He relaxed a little, being off his side. Sue had Sid's shirt up looking for the wound to put pressure over it. Finding it with her fingertips cause she couldnt see well in the dark, she put her bare hand firmly over the slimiest warm spot and hoped she had it held off. Sid groaned, "That hurts more."

"Sorry Sid, you're still bleeding. I have to try to stop it."

A car pulled into the alley and rolled slowly towards them. Was it Nana, or the ambulance? All they could see was headlights. It stopped just before it got to the dumpster. The teens could hear multiple car doors slamming so it had to be the ambulance.

"Over here!" Tobey yelled.

"Well, well . . . is our little witness still alive? I really didn't think he would last this long." Big Boy stepped in front of the car. "And now it seems we have two more witnesses to take care of."

Hearing their voices, Sid cried, "Guns – Sue-Tobey - Run, you guys, Run!" Sue looked back at the menacing figure. Tobey stood up and stepped between the strangers and his friends before he dropped into his defensive stance. The first stranger was joined by two smaller, thinner guys outlined brilliantly by the headlights, but hard to see their faces.

Tobey was ready to protect Sid and Sue until the end. Sue stayed where she was. Keeping pressure on Sid's wound. "You did this to my brother! Why?"

"He is a giant pain, and he got in our way - twice just today." Blue hair answered.

The three figures started advancing towards the kids the headlights making eerie shadows on the walls surrounding them. Tobey shifted his feet and threatened, "Don't come any closer – I know Kung Fu!"

That made them all laugh - "I don't think you're Kung Fu will protect you against our guns!"

Screeching tires, a blowing horn and a roaring engine interrupted the fun. A cab was coming, head on, right at them. From the other end of the alley. Tobey jumped back so he woudlnt be hit, but kept his eyes on the three gunmen. Sue, afraid to look, but ready to protect Sid, laid across his back and buried her face in his neck. She hugged him around his ribs with her free arm. Sid whispered weakly, "Sue – run - please - take T-Tobey - and run!" Sue only held him tighter, Sid tensed up from the noise and new wave of pain as Sue squeezed him a little too hard.

The fast moving car smashed into the front of the robber's car. The three barely jumped out of the way in time. Blue Hair stood close to the wall and fumbled in his sweatshirt for his gun. Nana leaped from the car and went over the taxi's open door in one smooth motion. Barely touching the hood with her toe, she planted a foot in Blue Hair's face and knocked him flat.

Nana landed on her feet between the taxi and the wall. She only waved her hand at the other two and sent them both flying into the wall. Tobey stood up and watched with huge eyes and his mouth hanging open.

Nana jumped back over the taxi's hood to be with her kids. The cab driver got out and watched. Smashing his cab into three bad guys didn't seem to upset him at all.

"Kids." She put her hand on the top of Sue's head first and got her attention. Sue looked up blinking tears away and Nana whispered to her, "He will be fine." Sue smiled at her, but wasn't convinced.

Sid turned his head, his cheek on the pavement, trying to see Nana. She put one hand on Sid's forehead. She put her other hand over Sue's hand. The hand she was holding over her brother's wound.

Nana instructed, "Focus all of your energy with mine Sue. Imagine you are taking all of his pain away and into yourself. In you're mind, picture Sid well and happy. You will begin to actually feel his pain, but don't worry, you can bear it." Nana's voice got softer, and gentler as she spoke. Sue closed her eyes while Nana continued.

"Picture him clean and warm, with no wounds, no discomfort of any kind."

Tobey watched quietly, amazed. The air around them had started to glitter and sparkle. Sue gritted her teeth and leaned forward when the pain started. "keep the image of Sid, happy and well in your mind, Sue."

the sparkles were turning into real particles and were gathering at Sue's and Nana's hands where they covered Sid's gunshot wound. Sue felt Sid relax and breathe easier and then the pain she had felt eased some.

The sirens were turned off as the ambulance pulled into the alley behind the robber's car. It rolled toward them carefully. Police cars blocked the alley at both ends and officers ran in to take custody of the three guys. Tobey's eyes were still huge as he tried to understand what was going on.

Sid reached up and put his hand over Nana's hand on his forehead to give it a squeeze. He was filled with the warmest, most wonderful feeling from his sister and Nana. He could feel Tobey was there too and all their wishes for him to be okay. The warm feeling was over, far sooner than he would have liked. The EMT's had moved in, telling them to step away and interrupting the spell.

Nana stood up and took a step back to get out of the EMT's way. Nana had to reach back over and move Sue. She was very reluctant to leave her brother's side. Tobey stood with Sue and held her hand.

The EMT's placed the low gurney next to Sid and lifted him on it. Still on his stomach. With sterile towels and gause one of them took over for Sue, keeping pressure on the wound. The other EMT cut Sid's shirt off of him. So they could see better and then went to Sid's arm to clean and prep it for an IV.

"Wow, looks like this kid lost a lot of blood. He's very cold. Temperature is four degrees below normal."

"Let's load him and work on him on the way." They strapped Sid down and lifted the gurney into the ambulance.

Sue started to follow, but Nana stopped her for a moment. Sue had so many questions; she paused even though she wanted to stay close to Sid.

"Nana, what just happened, what did you do?"

"I may have helped a little, but you did it, Sue."

Nana held her hand out to Sue and opened it. Lying in her palm was the bullit that almost took her brother's life. Sue's eyes got bigger, "I don't understand."

"You just had your first lesson in Magic."

[To Be Continued]


	3. Chapter 3 Reality Stinks X3

Three Delivery: Reality Stinks X3

By CrystalQuirt

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Two months later, Sid was mostly healed, at least his body was. He only stayed overnight in the hospital after he had been shot. The doctor's were baffled about how quickly he had begun to heal, and they couldn't find the bullet or an exit wound. The gunshot wound in Sid's back no longer looked like a gunshot wound to the doctors so they released him.

The police caught all three members of the gang and hauled them off to jail. Somehow, the bullet with Sid's blood on it, still made it into evidence and the crime investigators ran with it, making a strong case against all three members of the gang.

Sid, Tobey, Sue and Nana all had to appear in court when the case came up. Earring Boy, whose name turned out to be Kent, only got 7 years for shooting Sid. The other two got 5 years in prison.

Of course, if Sid had died of his injuries it would have been murder and they would have been sentenced for life perhaps, but because Sid was strong and had Nana's and Sue's help, he had an advantage their other victims wouldn't have had.

Saturday before daylight, Sid sat in a booth with his forehead resting on his hands, thinking. He was really bothered by what had happened in court. He felt like Earring Boy and his friends got off easy just because he didn't die. He could have died instantly when the bullet struck him and it was just because of a twist of fate that he lived through it.

All three of them tried to make sure he would die and even came back to make sure he was dead. And, when they found Sue and Tobey with him, they threatened to kill them too. If it wasn't for Nana showing up when she did, the three of them wouldn't still be here. Sid was also very aware of the part he played in how the situation unfolded. He thought the whole thing was his fault, because he had let his emotions and bruised ego put them all in that situation.

Walking, or borrowing Barney's bike to take deliveries was a pain. When the EMTs hauled him off to the hospital that night, nobody thought to look for his bike and when Tobey looked for it the next day, he couldn't find it. Sid shuddered to think of his bike being crushed under the earthmover's tires at the dump. He also worried that they would run into Kong Li before he was fully recovered and that might put their work with the cookbook and his families lives in danger again.

Exhausted, but unable to sleep Sid sat up straight and stretched. For weeks, it seemed every time he closed his eyes, he had a nightmare.

Barney was out in the garden meditating. Sid saw him go out, but Barney hadn't noticed him. Tobey and Sue had not even come downstairs, but he didn't expect to see them that early on a Saturday. The restaurant wouldn't be open for another six hours but Barney had a lot of prep work and cleaning to do. Sid planned on helping him as soon as he came inside.

Sid had a repetitive dream where Tobey and Sue were begging him not to leave them. Sid's dream self told them that he had no choice, that he had to leave. Tobey argued, "You always have a choice, Sid." Tobey and Sue reached to give him a hug. At this time in the dream, rather than hug his best friends and only family, Sid would pull out a gun and shoot them both. There was a lot of blood, even for a dream and their blood splashed back all over him.

Sid woke up screaming every time. Tonight he had woken Tobey, Sue and Nana at 2am. Tobey shook him awake and they all went back to bed, but Sid was afraid to go back to sleep so he just stayed up.

Sid decided to go meditate with Barney and went out back. He moved silently across the garden and picked a spot away from Barney so he wouldn't disturb him. Sid sat in full lotus position and began following his breath. He noticed his back still pinched and burned a little at the site of the wound and wondered briefly how long it would take for that feel normal again, but returned easily to his breath.

A ruckus in on the stairs was followed by Tobey and Sue shushing each other went on inside. There was noise – way too much noise for two people trying to sneak a gift downstairs. They had been hiding upstairs, waiting for Sid to leave, since he wasn't in bed like they thought he would be. They were both too excited to sleep anymore.

Tobey whispered, "It's okay Sue, he went out to the garden."

He and Sue rolled a brand new yellow bicycle to the top of the stairs from Nana's room. Nana followed behind them. Tobey got behind it and stood it up on its back tire. Sue stayed in front of it ready to catch it, not quite trusting Tobey to handle it alone. He bounced it down the stairs on its back tire without incident and placed it in the middle of the dining room.

Sue straightened the giant gold-colored bow that she had tied to center between the handlebars and turned it so that it would be the first part that Sid would see when he came back in. Tobey took the new helmet out of the box and sat it on the bike seat. The bike was just like the one he lost, but brand new.

When they were ready, Nana went to the back door and called for Sid. "Sid! Come in here quickly." She hollered. Barney opened one eye wide from his sitting place to see what was going on.

"Oh man, I thought I was safe from chores this early." Sid got up and yawned. The sun was just peeking over the horizon in the east. He couldn't see the sun itself for all the buildings in the way, but could see the daylight as the sun came up and burned off the fog.

"Come on! Sid, I need you in here!" Nana called again.

Sid went to the back door where Nana was waiting for him. She stepped aside and held the door open for him to come in.

"What do you need Nana?" He stopped in front of her and waited expectantly for instructions.

"I need you to go in the dining room."

"But, why?"

"Do not question your teacher, my son." She put her hand on his shoulder and guided him inside.

Sid led the way as they both went to the dining room. As he came out of the kitchen, he saw the new shiny yellow bike sitting in the center of the floor. Sue and Tobey stood behind it grinning. He gasped and looked to Nana. "Its beautiful!"

"Go ahead Sid."

Sid ran over to the bike. "We thought you might be tired of doing your deliveries on foot."

"But…I don't deserve…"

"Of course you deserve it!" Sue interrupted him.

"And no buts buddy - we all saved and sold some stuff to buy it for you."

"Thanks so much! I can hardly believe it – I don't know what to say. He went around the bike and grabbed Sue and Tobey by their necks to give them big hugs.

"And thank-you Nana."

"You kids go, I am sure Sid wants to try it out, but be back to help Calvin open up the restaurant on time."

Sid ran the bow up to his room and put on his out door, riding clothes while Sue and Tobey got out their bikes and heavy shirts. They all met on the sidewalk out in front of the restaurant. Sid strapped on the new helmet "Perfect fit!" and pedaled off with Tobey and Sue following right behind.

Nana watched them go, thinking how nice it was to see them all happy again. She knew how hard the last couple of months had been for all of them. She didn't know all the details of why Sid had been feeling so bad.

She knew he doubted himself sometimes, and often wished to be a "normal" teenager. She had been speaking to Sid alone regularly since that day, but he never told her much. She found out that he was upset that he had lost the fights with them and nearly got himself killed. Anyone would be upset.

Nana had explained to him that it was all fine. That he had made decisions each time, to try and protect others and that was good. It went along with his vow to protect Chinatown and save everyone. The evil didn't have to be confined only to Kong Li's schemes. Nana told Sid that he was even correct for not hurting the dog. No being, big or small should ever be hurt, and definitely not killed. There is always another way, and he just shouldn't have gone alone. She told him if he suspected he knew where to find them, he should have called the police and let them handle it.

Nana understood Sid's ego had been bruised and he thought he had to prove something. She explained how his negative self-centered thinking is what got him into trouble.

After weeks of discussion and meditation practice and the exercises Nana gave him, Sid seemed to be feeling much better mentally as well as physically. She thought so, but wondered about his first reaction just then, thinking he didn't deserve his new bike. "I guess we still have a little work to do, Sid." Nana said out loud as she sat down with her hot tea.

On Monday morning, Nana brought a suitcase down and sat it by the counter. Now kids, I will only be gone overnight. It has been very quiet here lately so I agreed to go, but I worry that maybe it has been too quiet. Keep alert for anything strange that might be of Kong Li's doing. If you have problems of any kind – even with Calvin, call me right away.

"Don't worry Nana, everything will be fine!" Sid replied.

"I really hate to leave you three. I don't even remember when I last spent the night away. Tobey, you remember to come back straight after school and help Barney prepare for the dinner crowd. Sue, Sid – you two go straight to the market after school and bring what Calvin has on this list – then help Tobey and Barney." She handed Sue the list and some money. Sue put it in her pants pocket. "No trouble Nana."

"Don't worry Nana, we will be fine. You go and have a good time." Sue encouraged again –echoing Sid.

"Sure, you deserve a break – go, and have a worry free visit with your cousin from China in Oakland." Tobey told her. "I still think she should have come here though."

"There are lots of relatives to visit near here and Oakland is kind of in the middle. Easier for everyone to get to than here."

"Okay Nana, just be careful." Tobey didn't like it that Nana was going to be gone. Sue hugged Nana and Sid and Tobey joined in for a four-way hug.

"Now I mean it, if you need anything – at any time, don't hesitate to call me!"

"Nana, you'll only be gone 'til tomorrow, you cluck over us like you are leaving us on our own for months." Sid teased. They walked her to her rental car, parked in front of Wu's Garden.

"Thank-you kids."

Sid, Sue and Tobey had checked all the fluids and tires on the car. Tobey installed new windshield wipers and together they washed it inside and out, doing a much better job than the rental agency had done. After she pulled away, they got on their bikes and headed for school.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

After a long day at school, the three met at the side gate. Tobey whined that he couldn't keep up with Barney and Mr. Wu's demands by himself until they got back from the store. "Why does it take two of us just to go to the store? What if there is a delivery right in the middle of cutting up veggies? Nana won't be there to help out either you know."

Sue offered. "Tell you what Tobey, I will come with you now, Sid can go to the grocery store alone . . . you up for it Sid?"

"Sure thing Sue." Sid agreed and Sue handed him the list and the little wad of money. The kids rode together to the corner and spit up. When Sue and Tobey got close, they could hear Mr. Wu yelling at Barney from the street. "Oh man, I am not looking forward to this." Tobey pretended to shiver.

"Come on Tobey, he will be glad to see we both came to help out right from school." They hoped off their bikes, and parked them by the pole in front of the restaurant and bravely went in.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Sid stood up on the pedals and pushed hard to get up the hill. The market would have to be at the top, he thought. The strain of getting the bike up the hill caused him a little discomfort in his back, right over his ribs where the bullet had torn through muscle and bone, stopping in his lung.

Sue was very unhappy that he had gotten hurt and nagged him about going off alone like he did for days afterwards. He was a little surprised that she suggested he go alone now. At the same time, Sid could tell Sue was absolutely giddy about having performed Healing Magic with Nana. He understood how she felt and was sorry he missed out on a lesson. Even more, he wished he had not been the subject of the lesson.

While he rode alone, Sid remembered allowing what Eunice had said to him get him so upset. "She really knows how to hurt a guy." He remembered how when he came home from the hospital, he found the little box on his bed that she had brought him. It had a really expensive watch in it.

Having something so expensive was such a waste. He wanted to share it with everyone. Sid sold the watch and took, Tobey, Sue, Nana, Mr Wu and Barney to a fine French restaurant downtown. Tobey absolutely fell in love with escargot, and still loved it even after he found out it was snails. Their fine dining experience would give them memories that would last longer than that watch would have.

Sid felt sorry for Eunice and how she must have felt bad for saying those things to to him later, but an expensive gift was all she knew to do to try and fix it. He wondered if there was something he could do for her that would help her be happier too.

Neither Sue nor Tobey told him that she gave him the watch, not because she felt bad for what she said to him, but to try and bribe him into not reporting the dog bite. It didn't matter so they chose not to tell him.

Sid stopped in front of the entrance to the store and chained his bike to a pole. He took off his helmet and hung it on the handlebars. It was warm so the long sleeved yellow shirt came off too before he went into the store. Once the fog that rolled in from the ocean that morning burned off, it had warmed up nicely that day in Chinatown.

When Sid came back out with the bag of supplies for Mr. Wu he tied the bag to his handlebars with his shirt and strapped his helmet back on. He wore a only a lightweight black T-shirt and his black pants with the studded belt.

"Great, it's all downhill from here! Woo Hoo!" he exclaimed as he pushed off and rolled back down the hill the way he came. The cool air pockets from the ocean rushing past his bare arms and through his thin shirt gave him goose bumps.

Near the bottom of the hill he sat up straight and coasted with his hands over his head. It felt so good to be healed and able to ride like that again and his new bike fit him perfectly!

Sid had to start pedaling when he got to flat ground. He wasn't going very fast anymore either. He really didn't want his ride to end, especially to have it replaced by work and Mr. Wu yelling. Maybe as soon as he got back, there would be deliveries and he could get the others to let him do them. He grinned and pedaled a little faster heading under a green light at the intersection ahead.

The sound of screeching tires made his heart skip a beat, without even looking, he knew a car was sliding towards him! He was almost across, and stood up to force the pedals around faster.

Sliding almost sideways, the car clipped the edge of his back tire. Sid and his new bike flipped up onto the sidewalk. Sid slammed with his back against the wall by the front door of Mrs. Thompson's used book store. The car continued to squeal to a stop as a guy in the passenger side yelled out the window at Sid, "Hey ass-hole – watch where you're riding that thing."

Sid groaned when he moved his arms to straighten his helmet, "That hurt." he mumbled and looked at the car.

Inside there were three young guys shouting at him. "Hey loser, long time no see! We will run into you for real next time!" one of them shouted. Sid gasped when he saw the driver had blue hair. He gunned the engine and went around the corner.

Sid gasped, "Shit – it was them! What are they doing out of prison?"

Mei Lu Thompson, who owned the book store, came rushing out to see if he was okay. "Sid?"

"I'm okay." Sid got up cautiously hoping nothing was damage on him or his new bike. He moved slowly but his heart was racing. His heart was racing, he was afraid they were just going around the block to get behind him again. Sid watched for them all the way home, but he didn't see them again.

Sid came back to Wu's in a rush. He ran to the kitchen, pausing in the doorway to catch his breath. "Sue – Tobey!" He pulled them out to the garden.

"What's going on?" Sue asked, confused at his urgent behavior.

"I saw them!" he said fearfully.

Sue had not seen him this frightened in a while. "Sid, you're shaking - saw who?"

Tobey was already worried too, "Yeah buddy, calm down."

"Those three who shot me and tried to kill you guys! They are out of prison!"

"Oh no! Sid! But they can't be, they were supposed to be locked up for years!" Sue stated.

"Maybe they escaped. It could have been in a laundry truck. I saw it once on TV." Tobey said.

"Sid, you aren't going to do anything crazy are you?" Sue put her hand on his shoulder. "Nana will be home in the morning, we can talk to her then."

Tobey seemed to be having a conversation with himself. ". . . and why did they come back here? I was hoping they would move away. There are other cities with more people for them to annoy I am sure."

"I don't know if we should wait until Nana gets home – they saw me too! They hit me with their car and yelled that they would get me next time."

"Sid-Sue-Tobey!" Mr. Wu yelled from the kitchen. "Get in here, we have deliveries!"

"Sid – they hit you with their car? Are you alright?"

"I think so. They just clipped my back tire and flipped me."

"Awe Sid! Is you're bike okay!" Tobey sounded urgent now.

"Yeah Tob, my bike's okay. Thanks for you're concern."

Sue had a plan. "Tobey and I will do all the deliveries today. You just stay here and help Barney and Mr. Wu. That way you won't run into them again accidentally."

"Oh man, I really hate to do that . . . they know what you guys look like too."

"But we can avoid them. You're still recovering, Sid. And you don't look great now. Are you sure you weren't hurt?"

"Just sore. I think I'm okay."

Sue turned to Tobey next. "Tobey, are we clear on this? We are not going to argue about having to take Sid's share of the deliveries, right?"

"It's clear, and I'm offended that you would think I would argue about it!"

As they walked back inside, Sue pointed out, "You whine all the time about having to do extra deliveries or chores!"

Tobey maintained, "I do not! And this is different. There is good reason – we're protecting Sid." Tobey gestured to Sid for him to go inside after Sue so he wouldn't have to be so close to her while she was being mean. Tobey followed Sid indignantly, with his nose in the air.

Sue added quietly since they were back inside, "If we don't mention what we're doing, Mr. Wu and Barney probably won't even notice. So act cool guys." Sue didn't want Mr. Wu making a big deal of out of it, until they knew if it was a big deal. There was no need to cause him any more stress and yelling, than he caused himself and Sue especially didn't want him yelling at Sid, when he already felt bad.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Unfortunately, Sid didn't know, but those three had followed him and saw him go inside Wu's Garden. They knew where to find him now. "We won't have to have to look for him now."

"Who would have thought he delivered chinese food. WE'll teach him to play hero."

They three were in their car, parked a few doors down where they could see the front of Wu's Garden. While they watched. Tobey left to make the first deliveries.

"Hey Sid, I have never seen Tobey so eager to take the first delivery, what's going on?" Barney asked. Sid hesitated with an answer and Barney added. "It's just weird to not hear him whine about having to go out first. Is this customer a good tipper or something?"

Sue answered quickly, "Yes, that's it- good tipper."

"Here Sue, this one needs to go to Drumm Street." Barney called.

"Hey, great Barney -thanks." Sue answered him and picked the bag up off the counter.

"WHAT is going on? Now you are acting weird too, you are thanking me for sending you to Drumm Street? I thought you hated Drumm Street! Let Sid take it, and you can stay here and help me."

Any other time she would have jumped at the chance to stay and be there alone with Barney – but she just couldn't right now.

"Sid will stay and help you out. You know, we just want to be more helpful to you Barney, you are such a hard worker, and you need some sort of kindness from us, right?"

She saw Sid grinning at her while he stacked the bowls in the sterilizer. As she turned away from the counter she grinned back at him. She mouthed, Be Careful to him and went out the front door. After she picked up her bike, she called Tobey and told him to hurry back so he would be there for the next delivery to go out. "But make sure you aren't followed."

"You don't have to tell me – I am stealthy – there is no way anyone could sneak up on me."

Sid finished loading the sterilizer and pushed buttons to start it. He was really worried about them going out. He got his phone out of his pocket and watched their GPS signals for a minute before Mr. Wu yelled at him to start chopping the onions.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Still sitting in their car, Blue Hair guessed, "That skinny one with the white hair that left first should be back any minute. He'll be easy to take out."

"Yeah man, we'll go across the street and hide so we can ambush him when he comes back."

As his friends got out Big Boy told them, "When I see that you've got him, I'll bring the car over. You can throw him in before anyone sees us." Big Boy instructed.

The two thugs crossed the street to the alley. They found two boards from a wooden loading pallet, to use as weapons before getting into position. Blue Hair got down behind two parked cars, and Earring Boy hid behind a bush that was growing next to the steps going up to a residence's entrance, high off the street and three doors down from Wu's Garden.

Blue Hair saw Tobey approaching by looking through the car's windows, and signaled to Earring Boy to get ready. Tobey was riding on the sidewalk – on the wrong side of the street for the direction he was headed. Unfortunately for Tobey, it put his path right between the two ambushers. "Perfect" Blue Hair whispered.

Tobey glided down the sidewalk with his arms crossed behind his head, stretching and showing off for anyone who might see him. The street was dark and empty though, and no one saw him or what was about to happen to happen to him. Tobey continued on, singing to himself and running his fingers through his hair with the breeze. He was fantasizing about how all the girls loved him as a superhero instead of paying attention.

Blue Hair suddenly stood up from between the two cars and slammed Tobey across the chest with the board as he rode by. With his hands behind his head and not paying attention, he didn't see his attacker or have any way to defend himself. Tobey took the blow in the chest full force. He fell backwards off the bike and landed on his back gasping for air. His bike continued to roll a few feet and fell over against a bush. Tobey rolled over on his stomach to try to get up.

Earring Boy stepped out from beside the steps and brought his board down against the back of Tobey's helmet. He hit him so hard his helmet cracked. Then to finish him off, he hit him again across his shoulders. The second hit took Tobey down. He fell flat on his stomach dazed and trying to catch his breath. Tobey was lucky his helmet was there to protect him enough that his skull wasn't cracked the same way.

Big Boy skid the car to a stop in the street next to where they had Tobey on the sidewalk. Blue Hair reached down and yanked the broken helmet off of Tobey's head without undoing the strap. So as it came off, it took some of the skin off his jaw with it. "Hey you little jerk – Safety first!" Earring Boy laughed.

"Hey!" cough-cough, "NO fair – t-two against one." Tobey's hand went to his head and he looked up at his attackers. Blue Hair paused a moment, looking at the helmet. Tobey struggled to stand only to meet by one more crack against his temple with his own helmet. That time he fell flat and didn't move again.

"Finally, he is tougher than he looks." Blue Hair observed.

Blue Hair dropped the cracked helmet by Tobey's bike. Earring Boy gave it one more smashing blow with the board as he went by. It cracked into pieces. Blue Hair dragged Tobey to the car, dumped him roughly on the back seat and slid in behind him.

Big Boy drove back across the street and down a few doors, but still where they could see Wu's. They waited to see if anyone saw what they did. Everything remained very quiet. Blue Hair rolled Tobey face down across the seat and pulled his arms behind his back. After securing his wrists together with duct tape, he bent his knees and taped his ankles to his wrists too. Then he put strips of tape across his eyes and mouth and roughly shoved Tobey's face into the seat when he finished.

Earring Boy exclaimed, "One down-two more to go. Then we will take them all down to the dock and show them what happens to people who get in our way."

"Ya, before we make them all disappear permanently." Big Boy snorted when he laughed.

"You dumb-ass. That's what I meant."

The gang remained parked where they were and watched the activity as people came and went from Wu's Garden. After a while, when he was sure it was clear and the time felt right, Big Boy drove back across the street. He stopped directly in front of the restaurant's front door.

Before he got out, Blue Hair gave the tape binding Tobey's hands and feet one more squeeze. Then as a fond farewell, he gave Tobey's butt a squeeze. Tobey moaned but still didn't try to move. Blue Hair laughed at him. "See you later, cutie."

The three burst into the restaurant together. Barney started to ask them what he could get for them, but shut up immediately when Earring Boy waved his gun around and demanded everyone stay where they were.

Barney yelped in surprise and ran for the kitchen, but he was too late. Blue Hair tackled him and shoved him back behind the counter. Barney was strong, but wrestling with Blue Hair was like wrestling a wild animal. Barney stopped resisting when Blue Hair put a knife to his throat.

There were only two other people eating in the dining room at the time, both sitting in the same booth. Earring Boy nodded at Big Boy. Big Boy nodded back and sauntered over to the customer's table. It looked like he was daring them to try to get up.

"What is going on out there? That doesn't sound like working!" Mr. Wu hollered as Earring Boy disappeared into the kitchen. Mr. Wu yelled something else and a door could be heard slamming. Earring Boy locked Mr. Wu in the small broom closet and turned off all the lights in the dining room. A little light from the kitchen lit it enough to still see to move around. Earring Boy came back out, stopping by the end of the counter to watch Blue Hair 'take care' of the handsome restaurant worker.

Blue Hair forced Barney to roll onto his stomach. He tied Barney's hands behind his back with several wraps from a roll of shipping tape he found by the cash register.

Earring Boy teased him, "Tape again? What is it with you and tape?" Blue Hair laughed and warned Barney not to move. He stood over him while he opened the cash register and started stuffing money into his pockets. "Ain't much here."

"I'm not surprised, looks like there aren't many people who eat here. Our reason for coming wasn't the money anyway man."

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Sue was on her way back to the restaurant riding on the right side of the street like she was supposed to, but she still spotted Tobey's bike lying on the sidewalk behind a parked car on the other side. She stood up and pedaled hard back across the street.

"Oh no!" she said quietly as she looked at his bike and noticed the pieces of Tobey's smashed helmet lying beside it. Sue looked around, fearful of finding his body lying somewhere nearby.

"Tobey?" She whispered and got tears in her eyes. Images of Sid's mortally wounded body in that alley flashed in her mind and then the image of finding Tobey the same way was almost overwhelming for her.

Sue pushed those images out of her head and tried to calm herself so she could think. Tobey's helmet being smashed like that was not a result of his simply crashing after one of his stunts. Sue unhooked her phone from her belt and called Tobey's number. There was no answer, but his GPS said he was nearby.

"SID!" she panicked, "Have they both been attacked?" she started to dial Sid's number, but decided not to. Perhaps he was in a situation where it would be better if his phone didn't ring. If the boys could get to their phones, one of them would have called her if there was trouble, and she was sure there was trouble. Sue decided she would investigate a little before trying to call Sid. The first thing she noticed was the lights in the dining room at Wu's Garden were off.

She quickly picked up the pieces of Tobey's helmet and his bike. She rolled his bike next to hers to get it back to Wu's, only three doors down.

She saw, but didn't recognize the car parked out in front of Wu's Garden so she ignored it. She was only thinking about finding Sid and Tobey and didn't pay as much attention to her surroundings as she should have. Sue stopped at the edge of the restaurant property and peeked around the corner through the window. The lights were all off and she couldn't see anyone moving around inside. "Mr. Wu wouldn't have closed early!"

They searched the place and even looked in the garden but couldn't find Sid. The customers had already been forced into the storeroom. Earring Boy locked them in with Barney's keys, warning them to keep quiet. Mr. Wu heard someone going by and demanded loudly to be let out.

Earring Boy said quietly through the door, "If you make another sound, my friend out here will do some nasty things to your handsome, black-haired employee and then I will put a bullet in his head."

Mr. Wu shuddered and then another voice said that he planned to do some nasty things to the kid either way. That statement was followed by laughter. Mr. Wu stayed quiet after that, praying that Barney would be okay. He knew it was Barney, because he thought the others were out on deliveries and would hopefully be safe.

Earring Boy hid behind the first booth, closest to the front door under the fake plant. Blue Hair stayed behind the counter with Barney. He pulled Barney up on his side and looked into his face. Blue Hair pushed the knife into his neck and warned him to be quiet. Barney winced when the knife drew a drop of blood.

Blue Hair scraped the drop of blood up on the tip of his knife and licked it off. "You know, maybe when this is all over, I will have a chance to just eat you up." A wave of nausea and aversion washed over Barney and he turned his face back to the floor.

Big Boy saw Sue coming back and got into his hiding place across from Earring Boy. He could still see Sue as she approached the door from where he was.

Sue still had terrible images parading through her mind. She pushed the image of the smashed helmet with Tobey's head still in it out of her mind as she leaned his and her bike against the wall, still one door down from Wu's. The business there had already closed.

After peeking through the window and seeing no one, she cautiously tried the door and found it unlocked so she went in.

"Hello?" She headed for the counter hoping to find Barney, Sid and Tobey hiding behind it, giggling. Barney said it had been a slow night- maybe slow enough for them to be bored and come up with a plan to scare her out of her wits. It wouldn't be the first time, but then, Tobey wouldn't have left his bike or smashed his own helmet, just to scare her.

With Sue all caught up in her thoughts as she looked around, Big Boy stepped between her and the door. Earring Boy jumped from behind the booth and landed in front of Sue. "W-What's going on? Where's Tobey and Sid – and the others?" she demanded as she glanced over her shoulder and saw she was surrounded.

"Just a little fun with you kids, and maybe some profit. Where's the rest of the money? The take in the cash register was pathetic." Blue Boy punched the side of the cash register making the bell ding.

Big Boy pulled down the blinds in the front windows.

"And where is the other one? That loser that we thought we got rid of before when we shot his sorry ass." Big Boy asked her.

A feeling of relief washed over Sue. Sid must have gotten away somehow! "How should I know? You know I just came back from a delivery – you were watching weren't you?" Sue took a step toward Big Boy.

"Where's Tobey!" Sue demanded.

Big Boy laughed in response, but didn't have time to say any more. Sid swung the door open, and charged Big Boy from the sidewalk. His palm made contact with Big Boy's cheek and before Big Boy could react, Sid followed his punch with a kick to his stomach. Big Boy went to his knees. Sue started to run towards Earring Boy as she readied herself to take him out.

Blue Hair shouted a warning from behind the counter. "Enough!" he threatened. Earring Boy saw Sue coming and leveled his gun at her head. Sue froze like a deer in headlights. Sid jumped between Sue and Earring Boy to shield her.

"Sid -No!" she said quietly, through clenched teeth. "Get out of the way."

Earring Boy waved his gun at them, motioning for them to go to the first booth. Big Boy was already standing behind the booth, he motioned to them to sit right in front of him so their backs would be to him and the restaurant entrance.

Not seeing that they had any other choice right then, the siblings cooperated. Sue slid in first, never taking her eyes off Big Boy. Not liking that he was standing behind them. Sid slid in close to Sue, sitting sideways, with his back to her so he could watch Big Boy.

Big Boy slowly moved to the end of the table and pulled out a small knife. He put his knee on the bench to lean in close to Sid. He waved the knife close to Sid's face. Sid pulled back closer to Sue and put his hands up to protect himself and Big Boy just leaned in closer.

"Freeze, or I will play with her instead."

Sid reluctantly put his hands down a little. He had Sue behind him, pressed against the wall. She whispered, "Don't do anything Sid, yet."

"Good advice little girl. Where's the money?"

Sid assured him, "What was in the cash register, is all there is."

With a flick of Big Boy's wrist, the knife left a gash across Sid's cheekbone. He cried out and put his left hand over his burning cheek. Sue screamed and hugged him from behind. Sid put his hands up again to try and protect himself. Big Boy backed up and laughed at him. "That will teach you to mess lie to me – the next time I ask – you better tell me."

Sid growled and started to lung at him, but Sue already had her arms around his ribs and pulled him back down. "No! Sid, please . . . there's a gun-n-n!" She whispered. Sue pointed to make Sid look at the guy with all the piercings, who still had his gun aimed at them. Earring Boy seemed to be enjoying his friend's antics.

Sue took Sid's right hand in hers to guide him to turn around so she could see him. Sid allowed her to guide him, but he didn't take his eyes off of their enemies. "We have to do something and find Tobey!" he spoke through his clenched teeth and glared at Big Boy. He relaxed a little in Sue's arms as she whispered, "We will wait for our chance, brother."

"Alright, get that one out here." Big Boy motioned to the counter. Blue Hair pulled Barney up off the floor by his hair. Barney yelped and struggled to stand. Blue Hair put the knife back to his throat and got behind him holding on to Barney's arms. "Come on Love," he said to Barney as he pushed him out from behind the counter and in front of it.

"Barney!" Sue and Sid said together.

"Sue!" was all Barney got out before Blue Hair poked him in the throat with the knife to shut him up again. "Don't make me have to shut you up permanently before we have had some playtime." He whispered in Barney's ear and then licked it. Barney tried to move away, but the feeling of the knife pressing in his neck was worse than the disgusting tongue in his ear.

Sue and Sid saw the exchange between Blue Hair and Barney. They couldn't hear what he said, but Sue clenched her fists and growled when the thug touched Barney like that.

Sid scooted out and stood up at the end of the bench. "We all know you are here for me - why don't you leave the others out of this. I'll fight all three of you right now!" Sid challenged.

"Sid!" Sue exclaimed and pulled him back down on the bench. She didn't want him to make them madder or give them any ideas they had not thought of.

"You're right of course; getting revenge on you is why we came, but there's no reason our visit can't be profitable too." confirmed Blue Hair.

Big Boy came back over, close to the table where the siblings were sitting. "Come on, where is the rest of the cash? The sooner you cough it up, the sooner we can get on with our business." Big Boy slammed his fist down on the table next to Sid.

"You've already got all there is from the cash register." Sue stated angrily. "And you never answered me! Did you do something to our f-friend? Where is he?"

"What friend" You will have to be a little more specific." We have done 'something' to a lot of people." Big Boy answered smugly pretending not to know who she meant.

"Tobey, the boy with the white streak in his hair!" Sue practically shouted at them.

Big Boy moved from Sid, to stand closer behind Sue. "Oh, the one who just left his bike down the sidewalk? He said I could have it, but it was too small for me."

Sid screamed at him this time. "He would NOT have said that! What happened to him?"

"That little shrimp didn't hold up well at all against a board that just kept hitting him over and over. You'll get his body back little girl, if you please me." Big Boy touched Sue's hair. She pulled away as far as she could and leaned on Sid.

"His body? No . . ." Tears welled up in Sue's eyes when Sid hugged her.

Blue Hair added, "Oh I don't think he's dead yet. At least he wasn't when I saw him last. I hope not. I wasn't finished playing with him yet."

"NO! You better not touch him!" she sobbed. Sid hugged Sue closer and looked at Big Boy with fire in his eyes. "Tobey . . ." Sue sobbed quietly, praying he was alright. Sid pulled her tighter to his side as he choked back his own tears.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

Tobey's head had been bleeding since he had passed out. It had soaked his bangs and gotten under the tape that had covered his eyes. When Tobey groaned and lifted his head, there was also a large bloodstain on the seat. Feeling smothered with his face against the back of the seat he tried to roll over and found his arms and legs were stuck in a most uncomfortable position. Tobey panicked and started struggling weakly. His head was pounding and his chest and back hurt badly.

He vaguely remembered being hit by a board and knocked off his bike. Angry and scared, he tried to kick, but only yanked on his arms and it really hurt where the board had hit his shoulders. "Oww – aaaah!" he moaned into the tape covering his mouth. Rubbing his face back and forth on the seat, he hoped to rub the tape off his eyes and mouth. Frustrated, he soon gave up and lie still to rest; the short expense of effort exhausted him. Hurting all over, and panicked over what might be happening to Sue and Sid, he wished he would pass out again.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]

[Tobey Continued…]


	4. Chapter 4 Keeping It Real 4

Three Delivery Keeping It Real: 4

By Crystalquirt

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

The Teens run into gang members. No pairings/shippings or sexual content warnings. Lots of angst and terror, injuries all around. Revised for errors, slight changes Feb 2010  
Mild language

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

"We're not playing with you anymore." Big Boy announced.

He walked quickly over to where Blue Hair was holding Barney. Blue Hair got behind Barney, holding both of his arms. Barney struggled to get away. Without warning, Big Boy delivered a hard punch to Barney's abdomen. He groaned and Blue Hair let him drop to his knees.

Mr. Wu heard his son groan in pain from in the closet. "Let me out! What are you doing out there?" It was amazing that he had stayed quiet as long as he did. They all ignored him this time.

"Alright now, this one will continue to suffer until someone tells me where the safe is." Big Boy threatened. Barney spoke up first. "They can't tell you anything. My dad doesn't even have a safe."

All three of the armed robbers stood around Barney. Big boy still watched Sid and Sue, daring them to move. Earring Boy grabbed a fist full of Barney's hair and pulled his head back. Stuck on his knees with his hands tied behind his back, he was feeling very helpless. His lip quivered.

"Then tell us where he does hide his money. It's not worth your life is it?"

"Barney, if Mr. Wu has any money, please tell them where it is!" Sue pleaded.

"Alright, there may be some in the kitchen." Barney lied.

"Where?" Big Boy looked away from the siblings, excited to hear about more money. Sid took a chance and vaulted up on the table. He leapt again into a back flip. Landing feet first on Big Boy's back he shoved him down. Sid struck him with both fists on either side of his neck, but Big Boy just laughed and rolled over. He kicked Sid's legs out from under him.

Sid fell but kicked again as he went down. Big boy ignored Sid's kicks until his heel connected with his nose. Big boy cussed and covered his nose with both hands.

Sue saw Earring Boy pull out his gun and take aim at Sid, "No! SID-LOOK-OUT!" Sue screamed and jumped out of the booth. Blue Hair pushed Barney to the floor and put his foot on him. He crossed his arms and just watched to see what would happen. He didn't want to get all hot and sweaty unless he had to.

Earring Boy had his gun pointed at Sid first, but when he saw Sue coming at him he leveled the gun's barrel at her before firing.

Sid jumped up and had just turned to attack Earring Boy when he heard the gunshot. Everyone froze for a second. "SUE!" Sid watched as she fell and rolled into the front of the counter. "SUE!" Sid started to go to her, but Big Boy made a clumsy grab for him. He put him down again with a round kick. He landed running to Sue.

Lying against the front of the counter, Sid threw himself down in front of Sue, doing his best to shield her from another shot, one that he was sure was coming.

"Sue – can you hear me?" he asked, braced for the burning pain of being shot again, but Earring Boy didn't shoot again.

"I'm okay Sid! He missed." Sid eased up a little on his hold on Sue. "Are you sure? You're okay Mei Mei?"

"Yeah, he's a terrible shot."

"I'm so glad you're okay - Wish he had been off when he shot me." Sid flashed a small smile and shut his eyes for a moment. He gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze and looked for where their attacker's were.

"Come here, hero!" Earring Boy pointed the gun at Sid motioning at him to get up. Sid and Sue both got up together facing each other. Sid didn't let go of his sister's arms. "Sid, don't do anything else, it'll be okay."

Big Boy stepped in close. He grabbed Sid to try and pull him away from Sue. Sid turned to face Big Boy guiding Sue by her hand to stay behind him. Big Boy delivered a punch to Sid's stomach. "Get out of the way!"

Sue screamed "SID!" and went down with him as he doubled over. Earring Boy told her to get back and threatened her with the gun again. Sue reluctantly stepped back against the counter. Big Boy pushed Sid down next to Barney on the floor.

Earring Boy stepped in-between the boys lying on the floor and pressed the gun barrel to the back of Sid's head. Sid started shivering and broke out into a cold sweat.

Sid could hear his heart beating in his head as he tried to get over the terrifying feeling of being shot again. Barney was next to him, watching nervously. Blue Hair still had his foot resting on his lower back.

"Alright we are done asking." Blue Hair stated with a final tone. "Sorry Love." He pulled his foot back and kicked Barney in the ribs. "TELL us where in the kitchen, the money is hidden."

Barney gasped and rolled onto his side, pulling his knees up in pain.

"It's in the kitchen - I'll have to show you – you'll never find it if I just try to tell you." He lied. Blue Hair went to stand by the wall at the end of the counter so he could see into the kitchen.

Sid tried to comfort him, speaking softly, "Barney, take a deep breath, don't worry-it will be okay." Sid wanted to help him, but with a gun still pressed against his back, was afraid to move.

Big Boy walked to Sue. Sue crossed her arms indignantly and glared at him.

"Okay honey," Big Boy pulled out his knife. "You and I are going to the kitchen alone to get the money - and whatever else I can 'get' while we're in there."

Sue was shaking inside, but outside she looked calm and confident. Big Boy reached out to touch her. Sue knocked his hand away, wrapped her arm around his and was about to take the knife away from him, when she heard Sid cry out. She looked over at him and Earring Boy had picked Sid half way off the floor by his hair. He had the gun barrel pressed against Sid's cheek. Sid's eyes were squeezed shut and he trembled all over.

Big Boy warned Sue, "If you resist me, he will be dead before he hits the floor."

"No! - don't hurt him- I'll do what you want."

Frightened, Sue still backed along the counter hoping for a chance to escape. He swung the knife at her. The tip of the knife slashed across her chest, cutting through her shirt and leaving a long horizontal gash just below her collar bone. She winced in pain and covered the wound with her hands as she bent forward.

Earring Boy shoved Sid back on the floor to watch the action. Sid's palms hit the floor first with a slap. He was not lying completely flat anymore, with his hands, palms-down under his chest, but he also still had a gun pointed at his back.

Big Boy moved toward Sue again. Sue backed away from him. She had her hands on opposite shoulders and was shivering, as if from intense cold.

Sid gathered his hands even farther under his body in preparation to jump up, gun in his back or not.

"NO! Leave her alone." He was half-way up when Earring Boy brought the gun handled down against the back of his neck before he could get all the way up.

Sid fell flat again next to Barney. He heard Barney's voice, but couldn't understand what he said. To him it seemed like the floor was spinning under his body, so he shut his eyes for a moment.

Sid willed himself to get up through the fog he was experiencing because of a probable concussion, so he could save Sue. When he moved again, there was something heavy that pushed him back down flat on the floor. Sid growled with frustration.

He tried to turn enough to see where Sue was, but found his movement was restricted by Earring Boy's foot pressing hard, in-between his shoulder blades. Effectively pinned to the floor, darkness threatened to overwhelm him. He blinked, trying not to pass out and cried, "SUE! – SUE! . . . leave her alone! Please."

Backing away from Big Boy, with her attention on what was happening to Sid, Sue backed into Blue Hair. He grabbed her upper arms and shoved her forward into Big Boy's chest. Big Boy grinned menacingly at her and got her in a bear hug. He pushed her around the end of the counter like that, hugging her tightly to his chest with her facing him.

Big Boy half-carried her to the kitchen door and they disappeared from the other's sight.

"Boy oh boy, I wouldn't want to be her right now." Blue Hair laughed and went back to help Earring Boy watch Sid and Barney. They laughed at Sid, who was still weakly calling to Sue. Blue Hair sat down next to Barney who was too afraid to move or say anything.

Blue hair started cutting chunks of Barney's hair off with his knife. Barney whimpered and shut his eyes.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen. Big Boy shoved Sue a little ways farther in front of him. He grabbed a big kitchen knife. Threatening her with it, he demanded, "Get the money first. Maybe if you cooperate I won't be too rough with you."

Sue was looking for any weakness she could take advantage of, as her head nodded, faking agreement in whatever he said. Frantically thinking of what to do, she faced him the whole time with her arms crossed over her chest, as she made her way backwards to the rice steamer on the counter. She reached for the large, half-empty bag of flour stored on the shelf under it.

Big Boy thought she was looking for the money as she turned away from him. She was really rolling the top of the flour sack down tightly. She got a good hold on the sack with both hands. Instead of pulling the flour sac, off the shelf slowly, she took a deep breath and yanked. In a sweeping motion with beautiful follow-through, her aim was dead-on. The heavy flour sack hit Big Boy in the face and exploded.

Big Boy dropped the knife and started to cough as he inhaled a large breath of flour. Sue silently planted both feet in his flour-covered chest. Another puff of flour went in the air and when he fell, she landed on him causing another flour-cloud. She grabbed the iron wok from the top of the stove and dropped it on his head. "Too bad it wasn't still hot."

Satisfied he was no longer a threat, she readied herself for someone to come investigate what they might have heard from the dining room. After a few moments, she was satisfied no one was coming to investigate. She cautiously peeked out from behind the doorway. She could still see Earring Boy standing about where Barney and Sid had been lying on the floor, but they boys would have been down behind the counter, out of sight, if they were still in the same place.

Sue couldn't see Blue Hair anywhere else, so she assumed he still had his hands on Barney. She shuddered at that image. Sue deducted that their positions in the room had not changed. Their voices got louder. They were arguing with Sid! "No Sid, don't get them all wound up!" she whispered, wishing she could communicate with him telepathically to let him know she was alright.

"Let me up! You bastard! If that moron touches Sue - I WILL KILL all of you." He sounded a little out of breath. Earring Boy ground his foot into Sid's back in the same spot where he had been shot and then stomped on him like he was stomping out a forest fire. Sid winced and gritted his teeth.

Earring Boy laughed, "From all the noise coming from the kitchen, he must be having a grand time with your sister."

"Dammit! Let me up!"

Sue narrowed her eyes at Earring Boy just before she flew silently through the air, like she had grown wings at him. She took the counter in one leap and landed on Earring Boy's back, stomping him in stride and answering, "Yeah, me and that slob had a great time."

Then with a low growl, she smashed Blue Hair in the face with her palm and followed through with a round kick to his privates. "That's for touching Barney!"

Barney rolled over and sat up. "Yay – Sue!"

Sid felt Earring Boy's foot come off his back and he rolled over quickly, kicking the gun out of his hand just as he pointed it at Sue again. The gun skidded across the floor and went under the heavy counter. Sid landed another hard kick in his stomach and doubled him over.

Earring Boy and Blue Hair would have tucked their tails between their legs, if they had tails. They both scrambled to their feet and ran to towards the front door.

"Don't let them get away without telling us where Tobey is!" Sue screamed as she tackled Blue Hair. Earring Boy was almost to the door when Sid landed on his back. They both went to the floor with Sid on top. "WHERE-IS-TOBEY!" Sid screamed as he held onto the back of his shirt with both fists and pushed like he wanted to grind him into the floor. They all paused and looked around when they heard someone cough and the back door slam. Sue yelled in frustration, "Big Boy must have went out the back door."

"Your good buddy just ran out on you! Now it's two on two, you don't have you're gun and I will kick your ass! TELL ME WHERE TOBEY IS!"

Earring Boy tried to look defiant and pressed his lips tight shut. Sid shoved his face in the floor.

"It's okay Sid - this one will tell us." Sue flipped Blue Hair on his stomach and twisted his arm up between his shoulder blades. She started twisting his middle finger.

"Alright, Alright! Just let us go, we will tell you where your friend is." He tried to make a deal.

"You are not in a position to bargain! Tell us where Tobey is! Or I will twist your fingers off – one by one." She started twisting his finger with incredible force.

"Alright – he is right there!"

"RIGHT WHERE?"

". . . n the car!"

Sid and Sue looked at each other and jumped towards the front door. The two robbers scrambled to their feet and ran for the back door. Barney watched the whole thing and with nobody watching him, had gotten his hands out of the tape. He ran to the phone to call the police. Barney thought the police should be there, before he let his dad out of the closet. He expected his dad to be really angry.

The customers had heard something going on, and were yelling to be let out. After he made the call, Barney went quietly to the storeroom and let them out. He told them it was over and the police were on their way. He spoke quietly so his dad wouldn't hear him.

Sue and Sid got to the car in an instant. In the dim light from a street light, they could see Tobey lying across the back seat. He was obviously tied up and not moving. Sid yanked on the door, "Arrrgh, the doors are locked! Tobey?" he cried. He didn't respond even when Sue screamed his name.

"Oh damn – There's blood! They've hurt him just like they said! Tobey!" Sue screamed even louder and beat on the glass with her fists.

"Don't break it over his head Sue. I'm gonna break the other window." Sid picked up Sue's bike and slammed it sideways against the car. The pedal went through the front passenger window. With Sid's weight behind the strike, the window shattered with one strike. He tossed his bike aside and reached his hand in to unlock the doors.

Sue flung open the back door and gently touched Tobey's shoulder. "Tobey?"

Sid climbed into the back seat from the other side and straddled Tobey's legs to start cutting him free with his pocket knife.

"Tobey? Can you hear me?" Sue gently put her hand under his head and started to lift it off the seat so she could see his face. Tobey woke up startled and tried frantically to get away. He kicked Sid in the chest just as he cut the tape holding his feet to his hands. Sid hit his head on the car's top. He grumbled something he didn't want to say out loud as a wave of dizziness washed over him. "I'm getting pretty tired of getting hit in the head," he groaned.

With his eyes and mouth taped he couldn't see or speak, Sue told him quickly, "Tobey - it's us, Sue and Sid. You're safe." Sue said kindly and placed her hands gently on either side of his head. He uttered a pathetic whining noise through he tape and relaxed a little.

Sue reached under his face and pulled the tape off his mouth first. She knew getting it off from his eyes would be trickier and probably hurt more. She got down lower to see better, and saw where his head had been bleeding and soaked the car-seat.

"Sid! Tobey's bled all over the seat!" Sue exclaimed.

"I'm okay." Tobey lied. "Get me loose please! Get the tape off my eyes!"

Sid looked at her and cautioned, "No Tobey. We shouldn't move you. I'm cutting you loose but you have to promise to lie still."

Sue tried to comfort him, "I'm sure Barney has called the police by now, help should be on the way."

"No – no – I'm okay!"

"Yeah Tobey, I can see you're okay by the blood and the bruises." Sid told him.

Barney came out the front door to see what they were doing. "Barney! Are you okay?"

"Yeah Sue. I'm fine thanks to you."

"Did you call the police? We need an ambulance too."

"I called for police, but I will call them back and get an ambulance." He took out his phone. "Is Tobey hurt seriously?"

"I don't know." Sid answered as he pulled the last of the tape off of Tobey's hands and feet. "Sorry that took so long Tob, whoever tied you up must have used a whole roll of tape."

"Ow." Tobey said as he tried to move his stiff joints. His back, shoulders and chest felt broken to him. Tobey gave up trying to move and went limp.

"Tobey? Are you still with us?"

"Yeah, can't you get the tape off my eyes?"

"Its okay, it's almost over." Sue said soothingly and put her hand back under his cheek. "I think we better wait and let the EMTs take the tape off of your eyes. They probably have something that will dissolve the adhesive and won't hurt. I'm afraid of injuring your eyes or at least pulling your eyelashes out."

She was still kneeling down on the curb beside the car and leaning on the seat in front of him, low enough to see most of his face. He was getting a purple lump on his head under the cut. There was a large bruise on his cheek too. Sue reached up and ran her fingers through his hair again, not knowing what else to do for him.

Thoughtfully she traced down the back of his head with her fingers, combing his hair and then rubbed down his back. She patted and rubbed his back while the memories of what had happened to them all flashed as nightmarish images in her mind. She pulled her thoughts back to the present and silently wished the ambulance would hurry.

Sue felt Tobey relax a little for a moment, but when she stopped rubbing his head and back, he said, "It's okay Sue, pull the tape off - get it off my eyes. I can't stand it!"

"Lie still, buddy - help should be here any second."

"I hear sirens." After Sue said it, Sid and Tobey heard distant sirens too. Tobey got more anxious. "I don't wanna wait for the EMTs, please – take me inside, we can use soap or butter or something."

Sid climbed back over the seat to the front and got out on the driver's side. Tobey was starting to move again. He got up as far as his hands and knees by himself. His circulation was returning slowly.

Siren's blared, getting closer. Sid tried to convince his best friend to stay still, "Wait Tobey, they can help you feel better . . . and get the duct tape off without pulling your eyes out."

"SID!" Sue scolded him.

"No I don't want to go the hospital, or even let them see me. They will ask questions-they already know too much . . . they will have to call Nana . . . Nana might get in trouble!" Tobey stammered.

"But Tobey" She tried to argue, but then remembered, "Sid, we should call Nana." While Sue spoke to Sid, Tobey got his legs off the seat; sat up and scooted towards where he could hear Sue's voice. He grabbed the tape himself and started to pull on it, but let out a yelp and covered his eyes with both hands.

"Tobey! Let the EMTs help you."

"No! I'm fine." Tobey insisted. "I just need some soap, or something.

"He's going to fall if we don't help him." Sid reasoned. Sue frowned. " . . . or we could just sit on him and make him hold still. Sid was already helping him across the dining room. Sid could tell he was still weak and shaky. He tried one more time to get him to let the EMTs look at him. Tobey still insisted he would be fine if they just got the tape off his eyes. Sid left him standing in the hallway with Sue, leaning against the wall and went to get the butter and oil from the kitchen.

Sue took over and was sitting with Tobey on the floor in the bathroom with warm, wet paper towels over his face when Sid got there. She put Tobey's hand up to hold the towels over the tape, while she reached up to take the oil and butter from Sid. When she looked up, she found herself feeling a little dizzy. "Ooooh." Sue put her arms down and closed her eyes for a moment. "Sue?" Sid sat the oils down and touched her shoulder. "I'm just a little dizzy." All three of them were exhausted.

They heard loud voices in the dining room through the bathroom door. Sid decided to stay and help Tobey get the tape off his face. "Okay then, I'll go talk to the police."

"Sue, lock the door – don't tell them about me!" Tobey insisted. When Sue ran into the EMTs she told them that the injured parties refused to be looked at and had left, so they took some information for their report and left.

Sue pointed under the counter, and told them they would find the gun there and whose fingerprints would be on it. Sue told the whole story to the officer's, including the part about them kidnapping and tying up Tobey and finding him in their abandoned car parked in front.

The officer said he would get a tow truck to come get it and haul it downtown where they would gather evidence from it. She told the officer that their injured friend had left in the ambulance. She figured that would keep all the emergency workers busy while they figured Tobey out and convinced him to let someone help him. She truly didn't want to make him any more upset than he already was.

It was Barney and Mr. Wu's turn to speak to the police. Mr. Wu was so relieved to see Barney and all of them okay. He was on his best behavior, and had not yelled at anyone since getting out of the closet. He hugged Barney so tightly, Barney thought he would have to be carried away by the paramedics.

Sue rejoined Sid and Tobey in the bathroom and once the police left the area, they went to the kitchen. "Hey Tobey, I'm so glad to see your beautiful brown eyes again!" Sue exclaimed and gave him a lingering hug. The smile on Tobey's face showed that a hug from Sue made the whole ordeal worth it. The skin around Tobey's eyes was red under where the tape had been, but his eyebrows and eyelids were mostly still there. "Sid you did a great job getting the tape off."

"Well half of his right eyebrow is gone, but his hair will cover that."

"It's after midnight guys, I'm so tired." Tobey yawned. "But you have a head injury – I saw on TV once that you shouldn't go to sleep with a head injury."

"Why not bro?"

"I don't really know, but they said it was important that the patient not be allowed to go to sleep."

"There's no way I can sleep with those three still loose, anyway. We'll all stay up." Sue said.

Sid was feeling especially overwhelmed, and beating himself up. "This is all my fault. If I had not acted so foolishly those months ago, we wouldn't be in this mess now. As Nana said, I acted on my emotions without clarity about what was happening. I'm so sorry for putting you two and Barney and Mr. Wu in danger. When Nana gets back in the morning, she will be in danger too."

"Barney said Nana's on her way home, but it will still be a couple hours until she gets home. Sue! If anything had happened to you! Nothing did - did it?"

Sue understood what her brother was trying to ask me. "No, he didn't have a chance to do anything before I took him down."

"Are you okay bro? I know they hit you in the head a couple of times too."

"I'm fine, but that blue haired guy hinted that he might have hurt Tobey, even more seriously. Tobey, did they do anything beside beat you up?"

"Like what Sid?"

"Never mind. He must not have, you said you were unconscious most of the time, right?"

"The whole time as far as I know."

"Tobey, why don't you want to let the doctors or even the EMT's look at you?"

"I don't wanna talk about it right now."

"But Tobey, I'm sure you have at least a head injury. Does you're chest still hurt?"

"Who said my chest hurt?"

"You told me when you first woke up, you groaned that you're chest, back and shoulder's hurt. Please let us take you to get you checked out. I can call a cab." Sue offered again.

"NO, I'll wait for Nana. I am sure she has an herb or something that will help - and I feel fine anyway." he lied.

"What happened to you Sue?" asked Tobey as he noticed her injuries too – he had missed everything that happened. Sue blushed and told them she was going upstairs to get cleaned up. Sid told Tobey what he knew about Sue's encounter with Big Boy and how she was able to totally defeat him and save everyone. "Her quick action put an end to the gang's plans and got rid of them."

"Sid! I wish I could've been there to share in some of the smashin' of the bad guys!" Tobey pouted.

"Ya, if it had been up to me, we still would have been hostages, or worse."

"Oh Sid, this isn't your fault. Stop beating yourself up."

"Thanks Tobey for saying that, but I still feel like it's my responsibility to fix this." Sid got up and started to leave. "I'm going out to find them myself, but this time, I will only find them so I can tell the police where to go to arrest them."

"Sid no! You can't go alone again! This is how you got shot . . . and now you intend to do it again? I won't let you."

"I won't let you either." Sue joined in having heard that last part of their conversation as she came back. She had put a bandage across her chest and changed her shirt. "You won't go alone. We're a team and should stay together; we're going together."

"So we all take a chance on getting hurt? No way. I couldn't live with myself. Stay here." Sid pleaded.

"Forget it, nothing bad will happen as long as we are together." Tobey chimed in.

Sid put his arms around both of them, and experienced the warmest three-way hug ever.

Not wanting anyone to see them leaving they headed out the back door and went all the way around the building to sneak their bikes from the front sidewalk. The tow truck was getting ready to tow the attacker's car away. After the three of them got far enough away and felt like no one try to stop them from going, Tobey said how weird it was to ride without his helmet! He said his head felt 'exposed'.

"Another reason you shouldn't have come." Sid stopped. "Wear mine." Sid handed his helmet to him. "No Sid. You're more likely to crash than me."

"No way Tobey, will you put it on, or will I make you put it on."

"Thanks buddy." Tobey put it on and adjusted the strap. It was still way too big for him.

Sid led them through the same alleys where he had run into the gang the first and second times. The streets were very quiet before three in the morning. They pedaled slowly watching the shadows in every doorway and corner for any sign of the thugs.

Sid and Sue both noticed that as they rode, any chance Tobey got to coast, he did and sometimes he leaned forward and held his chest or head. "What are we gonna do with you, Tobey?" Sue rode close to him. Tobey perked up acting like he was okay. He smiled at her. They cruised along silently riding side-by-side. They were just about to start their third time around the block, when Tobey broke the silence and said something about being hungry. A loud engine roared, drowning him out. Headlights came on behind them and a car came right at them.

"COME ON! - RIDE" Sid screamed.

The three armed gang members had already stolen another car and had been parked, sitting in the dark and planning their next move when the three rode past them.

Sid, Sue and Tobey shuddered as they heard Big Boy's voice yelling threats out the car window. Tobey pulled ahead, with Sue right behind him and Sid bringing up the rear. The car accelerated and so did the kids.

All three stood up and pedaled as fast as they could. Before them was a turn which would take them down a steep hill towards the wharf a couple of blocks away. They laid their bikes low in the turn and barely had to slow down at all.

After the turn they lowered their bodies to go as fast as possible. Even with impending danger on their heels, Tobey went to the side to jump a loading ramp behind a store. After a forward flip in mid-air, he landed just behind Sid. Tobey was determined to show them that he was alright. Sid was glad he at least had a helmet on.

Sid mumbled, "This is no good - I have to protect them whether the danger is because of me or not. He slowed down just enough that Tobey passed him again.

"Sid! You okay?" Tobey yelled back.

"Yeah – go on!" Sid was planning something. He guessed, the jerks in the car would choose to chase him if they separated. He waited until Sue and Tobey got just a little more ahead of him. The car had slowed down a little around the last corner, but was gaining on them fast again. When Sid slowed down even more, the car caught up. There were only a few precious feet between Sid's back tire and the car's bumper. He nearly laid his bike on its side to fly around the next corner without Sue and Tobey.

Sid was right! The car followed him and let Sue and Tobey go. Sid smiled, even though he had mixed feelings about having the three still on his tail. He headed for the warehouse district down by the other end of the wharf. It was all downhill with a lot of corners and he thought he would have a good chance to stay ahead of them long enough to get them far away from Sue and Tobey. He didn't think about what he would do after that.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Sue and Tobey slowed down as soon as they heard the car turn off. It had stopped chasing them! Relief turned to terror when they turned around and saw that Sid wasn't with them anymore either. "Oh no – Sid! What IS he thinking! They're gonna kill him!" Sue was panicking.

"No they won't - he'll out ride 'em."

"How can you be sure? They probably still have guns. They don't even have to catch him - all they need is a clear shot! What does Sid think he's doing?"

Tobey answered sadly, "He's saving us."

Sue turned her bike around and took off after them, with Tobey right beside her.

"But we're supposed to work together; we're supposed to STAY together." Sue was rambling. They were so afraid for Sid that they both had tears in their eyes. They pedaled down an alley hoping it would turn out to be a shortcut.

On this otherwise quiet night, they could still hear the car's roaring engine in the distance.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Sid peddled for his life. He didn't even slow down around the corner when he turned into the narrow lane between warehouses. The car with Big Boy, Earring Boy and Blue Hair in it, barreled after him. Sid on his bike and the car on his tail, weaved between obstacles, the car only missed hitting his back tire by inches, over and over.

Earring Boy was driving. He cussed loudly when he nearly lost control after a sharp corner. The left rear quarter panel struck a garbage can and it went flying into the wall of a warehouse. The front left front bumper hit another can and the force propelled it forward. It flew over Sid's head and landed in front of him. Sid had to swerve to avoid it. Earring Boy thought that was fun and hit a couple more on purpose, but they came nowhere near Sid.

He leaned his bike to the left around the next corner and then to the right almost immediately to shoot down a narrow loading ramp intended for forklifts. He slipped in between two parked machines. The car, still on his tail went between them too; hitting them with both sides of the car at once. They were going so fast it effectively plowed a line between them and knocked the forklifts off of the ramp.

Sid barely had time to shudder from the screeching sound of tearing metal. He instinctively ducked lower on his bike and shot around the next corner. Getting out of breath, he hoped his attackers in the car would not make the next turn. He was going downhill, and still pedaled faster and faster.

Sid felt like his heart might explode – but pedaled even harder. He laid the bike down as he tried to take the next blind corner. Trying to avoid riding out on a pier where he would be trapped, he missed. The bike's rear tire slid out from under him and Sid's bike went down on its side. He could hear the three in the car laughing and shouting threats at him.

The bike continued out on the pier with Sid tumbling next to it. He rolled off the side of the pier just in time as the car's tire barely missed him as the car skidded out on the pier.

Sid found himself hanging onto a rusty steel cable stretched between two supports under the pier. And about thirty feet off the beach. There was the sound of metal being crushed above as the car ran over Sid's new bike.

As the car screamed past where he was hanging on, he could hear Earring Boy cursing loudly and the other two screaming. Even Earring Boy knew he had missed the turn and knew he wouldn't be able to correct it or stop in time.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Tobey and Sue laid low on their bikes getting as much speed as they could going down the hill. They had caught up quickly using their knowledge of shortcuts in the city. They saw the robber's car ahead, chasing Sid. They weren't very far ahead, but went in and out of sight around corners and in the fog as it rolled in off the ocean. Every couple of seconds they caught a glimpse of Sid's yellow bike dangerously close to the front of the car.

Even though they weren't quite there yet, Tobey and Sue could hear the loud splintering sound of exploding planks and screeching metal as the car went off the side of the pier.

Sid looked up just in time to see the bottom of the car as it launched off the Pier nearly over his head.

The whole pier swayed as more boards broke under the weight of the out of control car and he lost his grip on the cable with one hand. Sid struggled to grab back on with both hands but before he could do it, the support beam broke and the cable came unsecured from one end. Sid hung on tightly with one hand as the cable snapped and slipped through the pikes. The unraveling steel shredded the skin on his palm as it ripped through his hand. He could barely hold on anymore as the cable lowered him down a bit before it snapped completely in two and dropped him.

Sid landed on his back in the wet sand under the pier. Screaming, he rolled onto his side and covered his head, as broken planks and splintered wood rained down on him for several seconds. One end of a long beam hit the ground and fell across his torso like a tree falling over after it had been felled by an ax. Sid screamed in pain as the full weight of the old moist wood landed, smashing his ribs. Smaller pieces of wood and metal cable rained down and pummeled his body. He wrapped his arms around his head tighter and pulled his legs up closer to the beam that pinned him.

When the wood stopped falling on him, Sid heard the car gurgling as it sank in the ocean. He rose up a little to try and see it. The car's roof was all that was above the surface and soon it disappeared too. He didn't see any of the three guys. Sid struggled to get up so he could go help them, but he was trapped.

Sid laid his head back down on the sand and put his arms over his face. He closed his eyes tight and shivered as he tried to catch his breath, but the terrible pain in his side and the beam pressing down on him made it hard to breathe deeply. Sid couldn't even get a deep enough breath to yell loudly for help.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Sue and Tobey slowed a little as they got to the bottom of the hill and started out on the pier. Sue saw Sid's crushed bike stuck under the broken railing and screamed, "SID!" They skidded to a stop next to his bike and jumped off letting their own bikes fall over.

"Oh no! Sid!" Sue called. "Tobey! Where is he?"

"Sid!" Tobey frantically looked farther down the pier. "He couldn't have! He is too quick – he got out of the way right?" They were both afraid to look down.

Tobey saw the car's skid marks. He ran to them and looked for the car. Sue joined him. Part of the dock and railing was missing where the car went off. The whole structure swayed in the breeze.

They looked out in the water and saw nothing, even the car was gone. Sue leaned over as far as she dared and looked straight down to the beach. Tobey looked too, hanging on to Sue and a peace of the railing that was still secure. They saw the pile of debris. "Tobey, he has to be down there!" Sue and Tobey ran back toward shore to get to where they could climb down to the beach. Tobey took off Sid's helmet and tossed it over by their bikes.

"SID! Where are you?" They both kept calling as they ran and jumped down the steep cliff.

Sue ran across the sand and started moving boards. Tobey went to the other side of the pile and yelled "Here he is!" All he could see was the top of Sid's head and arm between the boards. Sue leaped over the top landed near the heavy beam that had trapped Sid.

They both started moving the smaller boards quickly to get them out of the way. They both lifted the bigger ones until they had the pile cleared away enough to see how Sid was trapped.

Sid moved his arm and looked up at them. "Guys, I'm stuck."

"We can see that Sid - Hold on, we almost have you out."

Sue went to the end of the beam that was still up, resting on another board, and across her brother's torso. "Tobey, we have to lift together, we only have to get it up high enough to swing it off of him.

"Okay, One – Two – Three!" they strained, the beam only came up an inch or two, but it was enough to swing it over. They dropped it right next to where Sid was lying. He rolled onto his back and looked up at them smiling. "Thanks guys." He winced and grabbed his side as he sat up. Sue and Tobey kneeled on either side.

"Sid!" Sue cried and hugged him. He winced when she crushed his already crushed ribs. Tobey fell back in the sand exhausted and relieved; his head pounding.

"What happened to them?" Sue asked. Sid pointed into the water. "They didn't get out?"

"Not that I saw, but I couldn't see well." Sue and Tobey looked that way, but said nothing. While lying on his back, Tobey called 911 and reported the crash.

"Where are you hurt?" Sue asked him.

"I think I broke a rib or two – and my new bike was destroyed wasn't it?"

Tobey looked worried, "Yeah, you're bike is pretty smashed up. Are you gonna be able to climb back up? Tobey asked.

"I think I can, if you guys help."

"Of course we'll help." Sue said.

Sue and Tobey got on either side of Sid to help him up the cliff. It was slow going and the first police unit arrived before they were even half way up.

One of the officers, Officer Lucas, recognized the three. He knew them from Wu's Garden, often eating lunch there himself. He had been on the force a long time, and been coming to Wu's since the beginning, before it was even Wu's Garden.

Officer Lucas was sweet on Nana and nearly panicked himself when he saw it was her three kids in trouble. He climbed down to the kids and helped get Sid up the rest of the way. When they reached the top, Sid sat back down on the wooden platform, in front of the police car. Tobey sat down with him.

Sid pointed to where he saw the car go under in response to Officer Lucas' questions. Afterward, he laid down flat and rested. It was a little easier to breath lying down. Sid looked over at Tobey, "You look exhausted."

Tobey answered, "I am."

"Please Tobey, Officer Lucas requested an ambulance for me. Please let them check you out this time too."

"No way, I'm fine, just tired. I keep telling you, I'm the strongest."

"Okay Tobey."

Officer Lucas had heard over the radio what had happened at Wu's earlier with the robbery and the hostage situation. He could see where all three kids were hurt and didn't want to admit it. He saw Sue's bloodstained, dirty bandage and Tobey's cuts and bruises. Lucas was still on his radio asking dispatch call Nana on her mobile phone. Another officer, investigators and a tow truck pulled up. The area in between the two warehouses was filling up fast with emergency vehicles.

Sue took the water off her bike and took a drink, then offered the boys each some. She poured the rest over Sid's hand to rinse the sand out of the cuts made by the cable.

"Thanks Sue, that feels better."

Tobey lie back on the deck too. Sue started scolding her brother, "How could you run off and leave us like that - after what we talked about?"

"I took a chance that they'd follow me, and they did. I wanted to protect you and Tobey."

"What about you? You need us Sid -you can't do everything on you're own."

"I know, but Tobey is hurt, no matter what he says, and you were almost . . . almost shot – I couldn't stand it."

"Promise you will never go off on your own like that again!"

Officer Lucas interrupted them to let them know the ambulance had arrived. A look of horror washed over Tobey's face. He jumped up and ran to his bike.

"What's wrong? Where are you going?" Sid and Sue asked him. Tobey gave no answer and disappeared around the corner. Officer Lucas said, "He obviously needs medical care, I will alert other officer's to pick him up."

Sue pleaded with him not to. She promised Nana would take care of it when she got there. "I'm afraid Tobey will be hurt running. He seems so determined."

"Tobey can be hard to figure out." Sid said.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[TD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Sid was seen at the hospital but released right away with his ribs taped up and a prescription for pain meds. He wadded it up and tossed it. Nana, Sue and Sid all got back to Wu's about the same time, still long before daylight.

Just when they would start to panic and go looking for Tobey, he came in the back through the garden. "Tobey, you shouldn't have taken off. Officer Lucas almost had the whole force out looking for you."

"But I'm fine. Just tired."

"Okay you three, you all look exhausted. Go on up to bed you can sleep in late. I'll make sure Calvin and Barney understand. In fact, Calvin should leave Barney alone too. I will help him get ready to open. The Sunday crowd is never that big."

They started up the stairs, single file. "Kids . . . I'm so sorry you had such trouble again. I'll be up in a few minutes to say goodnight."

Tobey didn't think too much about it. He was too tired, but when he took his shirt off to get ready for bed, Sid gasped. "Tobey! Look at you're chest!" Sid grabbed him before he could try to cover up. He turned him around and looked at his back too. "You're chest and back are full of dark bruises! How did that happen?"

"They knocked me off my bike with boards." I tried to fight them, but I don't remember much about it."

"Tobey, you should have been checked out at the hospital."

"No way. They can't do anything for bruises." Tobey hurried to put his shirt back on.

"Well no, probably not, but they would check you out to be sure you don't have some sort of internal damage!"

"I would know." Tobey carefully climbed up and lie on his bunk. "And don't tell Nana. I'll show her tomorrow."

Sid reluctantly agreed thinking maybe Tobey was the strongest, or at least the toughest of all of them. But he worried that it wasn't wise to leave the kind of injuries he suffered unchecked.

Nana came in and gave them each a kiss on their foreheads before she went to see Sue. Sid held his tongue, thinking maybe he shouldn't have.

[END]

Tobey's Dark Past' kind of picks up where this one stops.


End file.
